Linux has ALREADY reached the masses via Android mobile devices, "smart" appliances, TVs, even some automotive digitals, to name a few! Those of us who still use desktops/laps are becoming a rare breed, a niche-base ... e.g., step into any college/university classroom these days and 10% of students might have a laptop ... those of us who still sit behind a desktop are, more than likely, artists (audio/visual, writers, illustrators, etc.), gamers, or scientists ... even then, times are changing so rapidly that by the time Linux devs figure out a way to fix the suspend/resume niggle on some laps (plus a variety of other hardware issues that crop up from model to model), our beloved desktops/laptops will be obsolete (but still usable in our little niche) ...

Consumers, manufacturers will shell out $$ for quality OOTB ... surely Linux Desktop OSes need to get their act together at the hardware-compatibility level to compete with Apple, Windows, or even Chromebooks (Linux-based BTW ... no suspend/resume probs ever!) ... there's just no other way, period ...

Great thread! A lot of folks will be coming to MX (other Linux Distros as well) 'cause Win7 is reaching "end of life" ... lots of machines simply cannot support (hardware-wise) Win10, so folks are looking for options instead of blindly purchasing another machine just because Win won't run on their so-called "old" hardware ... the thing's a farce! The masses assume that because Win10 is a no-go on their hardware that their desktop/laptop is obsolete! Bull! Planned obsolescence by MS to get you to go out and purchase another pre-installed Win-machine ... consumer-based ploy ... yet, it works! People get sucked-in ...

Here are a couple of basic facts (many more if you are an experienced tech!) regarding WinOS and its users:
(1) Win doesn't give a damn whether or not your HD is healthy or not! You can install Windows and all the drivers you need for your particular model and you're up and running ... never mind that your disk has numerous bad sectors! Then when you realize s%^t ain't happening with the bogus install, you dump Win looking for an alternative. Most folks simply don't have the savvy to check their hardware. Cleaning exhaust ports on laptops, re-pasting CPUs, cleaning fans/heatsinks, updating Bios, etc., ... basic machine-maintenance! ... then they cry about this-and-that ain't workin' with Linux ... tough-love, but oh so true!
(2) The masses/majority don't have a clue about installing an OS ... they purchase a machine pre-installed and that's the end of it ...most of the time they don't even bother creating restoration-disks (duh!). Again, installing an alternative OS becomes a daunting experience 'cause they simply don't have a clue ... no matter how explicit the installer guide is, nor how detailed the documentation provides ... then they cry about this-and-that ain't workin' ...

Oh yeah, Forums like this try and do their best addressing hardware issues ... but IMHO, the onus is primarily on the USER to make sure their boxes are up-to-snuff ... DIY is the name-of-the-game when one decides to go the Linux-route ... AUTONOMY is the key-word here (fixing your own car/appliances, building/repairing your own house, growing a garden, etc., etc.) ... not everyone subscribes to the work involved ... another reason Linux Desktop OSes will never hit mainstream ...

Let Reverse your Heading..
From What Linux Needs To Do To Reach The Masses to

What Masses Needs To Do To Reach The Linux.

I think its more important.

When I talk masses its anybody, a school going child, a shopkeeper, an Writer or Media creator, not specifically Computer guys and IT persons who know command line and know how to make things on a Computer.
We should let our ego go a little, that Linux is not for dummies, that’s why MS or Mac take market.
User can read a little and dedicate a little time, its his responsibility to learn but we may make Linux more user friendly and more GUI/ better GUI.
The recent thing is that Linux have evolved better and support to hardware is good but not as better as Windows where vendors and MS play a key role supporting each other.
Software wise we have many alternative to every thing that available for MS, they are equivalent but not equal in many aspects. Take Libre-office or gimp, they do things very competitively but in perspective of a windows user they are at 2014 level where their counterpart are more advanced.

So there is good things in diversions like Linux has, but at a cost. Many people do same thing on same source code so manpower is divided. If all ideas come to one thing to develop it will be more fruitful. Take an example of Audio player, many based on vlc but different names with some changes or browsers many based on Firefox but some customisations or many video editors but none as competitive as Adobe Premier. If all developers let ego down and work on a common platform how will it become?

I'm breaking the forum rules a little bit by not reading all other previous posts... but here's my take:
There's not really much "Linux" needs to do, or in fact can do to reach the Masses...
Reasons for my reasoning:
Linux (L)-Do you want a cheap OS?- Here you are, it's free of charge.
Average Joe (AJ)-... But I own a business, I need support for my OS
L- Here, you can have Ubuntu, Red Hat, etc, they have "paid" professional support...
AJ- My computer is too old to run a modern OS... I have to buy a new one :-(
L- Here: have half a dozen Linux distributions than can run in computers up to 20 years old...
AJ- But... But... where's are the shinny adds in my start menu thingy? Why can't I play Counter strike on it? this sucks!
L -Microsoft does not want to sell you a Office with a unlimited license that you can own and use forever?- Here, have four or five free office suits, some with almost 100 % compatibility with Microsoft Office!
AJ -But... But... it's not 100% compatible with my documents...!
L- Nope, neither are different MS Office versions. Just try opening complex documents in Office 2019, then in a older Office suit or Office 365 on-line- you see, they don't really look the same across all those MS office suits...
L -And do you want to play commercial games? Here's Steam for Linux, with Proton for good measure, to allow you to play some 5000 commercial games, most of them made for Windows...
AJ- But... But, I can't play this particular game I love so much... Linux sucks!
L- Do you want to use a printer/scanner? Or connect your android or IOS device to your computer? Here you go, you don't even need to install drivers, just select your device and you'r ready to go...
AJ- But, I can't access my android device!
L- Just plug your phone's usb cable to your computer and on your android device just pull down the options menu and choose...
AJ- STOP! It's too complicated!!! I'm not a hacker!

And so so and so on... In my view, at least for now, there's really no way that "Linux" can reach the Masses- Windows has some 90% share on desktop devices. Trying to get in it's almost a impossible battle... "Linux" was way more than a decade late to provide a easy to use OS to the masses. It's a similar situation to the mobile market: there Microsoft could not get in, even making good devices and a good OS- the market was saturated with Android and IOS devices... There was really no space for a third alternative, the developers did not want to import their work to a new platform... So Windows mobile "failed" to reach the Masses- like Linux, not because it was a bad OS, but because, the Masses didn't need a new OS that did not have the applications they wanted to use.
Maybe, in a couple of years, when Microsoft, Adobe, etc, move all/most of their business to the "cloud", then, it won't matter what OS you are using, because all you need is a modern internet Browser... And even so, there's always complications with hardware drivers (sound / video boards / printers, etc)...
I'm a Linux user- I have 2 computers, one with MX, the other with antiX, but, like most of us Linux users here, I'm a bit anti establishment... My first problem was in my first days using MX- trying to install Nvidea drivers trashed my system. It only got working by "magic" - I did the steps to many times, trying so many different things that eventually the driver started working- one can't have that on a OS for the MASSES!

By the way- in my country I never saw a Chromebook for sale, except on-line, I never even touched one... IF those kinds of "Linux devices" (I believe Chromebooks really have a Linux OS, not like Android devices, that use more a desktop Linux cousin for their OS) spread all over the world, not just the USA and some other countries, maybe, just maybe Linux has a shot at the desktop masses in the near future... The Masses don't want a OS, the Masses want computing devices that they can use out of the box, not type away on the terminal to solve basic problems like configuring the video drivers, setting the date, or adding a icon to the toolbar...

My take on "solving" the problem:
The perfect solution is, for example, a Linux laptop with a familiar interface and a option to restore the system to "factory settings" - Windows style- they can save all their stuff in a "home" partition (safe from reinstalls), on-line (now there's a linux OS that backs up all the definitions to the cloud) or on a USB drive and trash their system to oblivion and yet have it running again by restarting the device and pressing a key from the boot menu- the device rewrites their OS from the image on a hidden partition in less than a couple of minutes and they can keep trashing the OS again by going to dubious video streaming or porn sites... until the next time they trash their system again... The only real problem would still be (at least for professional use), eventually printer drivers- since most modern printers are now wireless enabled, that is really no longer a problem for the future...
Respecting the preferences of the Masses, that device should come with a Chromium derived browser (Chromium itself, Google Chrome, or a more private alternative like Ungoogled Chromium) and Office 365 license (and have quick access to those on-line applications) - just to grab users, then let them find out about the provided real office suits like LibreOffice, WPS, FreeOffice, OnlyOffice, etc... etc...

While microsoft and google sit on the Linux board Linux is going nowhere. Why would they want to promote their opposition just look at their past track record..

Yeah, I'm not convinced Microsoft has ever really changed its tune about Linux. I can't even get Outlook to deliver email to me from Linux forums. It's kind of weird I can get get email from everything except a Linux forum or message board.